Morning Skate Update

It appears Jose Theodore will indeed start against his old team, the Western Conference worst Avalanche, tonight at Verizon Center.

Also looks like defenseman Staffan Kronwall will get in the lineup and replace John Erskine, who skated this morning but has the flu, according to Coach Bruce Boudreau. Kronwall will likely be paired with Milan Jurcina.

The combinations, as usual, were impossible to decipher. But I'm not expecting the lineup to look too much different than it did Wednesday against Montreal.

Some other notes and quotes from KCI:

*Theodore sounded off a bit yesterday about Colorado not trying harder to re-sign him last summer. But he's also got the numbers (at least lately) to back up his brash words. He's 14-4-2 with a 2.39 goals against average and .915 save percentage since that now infamous night in New York.

*Viktor Kozlov will miss his seventh straight game with a groin muscle strain.

"With him, again, we want to make sure we're not rushing him," Boudreau said. "Quite frankly, we've got a little bit of a cushion here. The last thing you want to do it rush him and pull it even more."

*The Avalanche have won two in a row, but still remain at the bottom of the West with only 55 points. And they're still not going to have Paul Stastny (broken arm).

*Asked if he might consider cutting down some of his players' ice time or giving them nights off down the stretch "if the lead stays the way it is", Boudreau said: "I can't see myself saying, 'Hey, Alex, take the day off.' Hockey is a little bit different than baseball."

*Defenseman Brian Pothier continues to improve - and Boudreau is starting to wonder what his lineup might look like on the back end if he does receive medical clearance.

"I hope," Boudreau said. "We are anxious to see him. But he's not cleared yet, and that's a big deal. He's a year off. I've watched all these guys who have had a year off and it takes them a while to get going. It's a nice, romantic thought. But it's one of those things where time will tell."

*Pressed about the Caps' penchant for taking penalties and what Boudreau, as the coach, can do to stem that flood of minor of infractions, he said:

"If it was only one guy who did it all the time ... but we spread it around pretty well," he said. "It's pretty difficult to threaten ice time for the whole team. We know about it."

As for whether there is a Kangaroo Court in the Caps' dressing room that doles out fines for penalties, Boudreau said: "We have our way of dealing with it. I have ways of dealing with things. There's a Kangaroo Court."

If players fine each other $200 for being late to team meetings, then I wouldn't be shocked if they fine each other for repeated trips to the box.

The Caps, by the way, have been assessed the sixth most minor penalties in the NHL this season (292).

*Alex Ovechkin has 28 goals and 40 points in his last 30 games and points in 10 straight games, the longest current points streak in the league. In two career games against the Avs, he has one goal.

*Nine of the Caps' 16 regulation losses have come against Western Conference opponents.

*The Caps could have their eighth straight sellout crowd tonight, which would equal the franchise record for consecutive sellouts in the same season.

No wonder OV was able to go around Hamrlik so easily. Looks like his mind was elsewhere. Reports out of Canada say that he's one of 4 Habs in custody of the RCMP. I bet BB feels really sorry for him now.

Silly 555Mass, that's an Eklund story! As a general rule, ignore anything that comes from hockeybuzz.com. Except their numbers site, which is linked from somewhere else, so its probably close to correct.

No wonder OV was able to go around Hamrlik so easily. Looks like his mind was elsewhere. Reports out of Canada say that he's one of 4 Habs in custody of the RCMP. I bet BB feels really sorry for him now.

Don't believe everything you read. The investigation is under the Provincial and Montreal police; the RCMP has no jurisdiction there. No one is in custody. But yes, Hamrlik had a relationship with a mafioso who is a well known cocaine dealer....

Well, I didn't read it. I'm listening to Montreal sports radio online. My french is a tad rusty, but they clearly said that 4 players were rumored to be in custody and they've identified 3 of the 4 players under suspicion, including Hamrlik. Like any talk radio/internet based news service, it has a decent chance of being wrong.

@Tarik - Oh, that's good news. Very good news. Fingers crossed for him! (And no, that is not in expectation of him playing immediately. That's for him as a human being. Medical clearance means a full recovery, which when I first found out what had happened and what he had I didn't think was possible.)

Remember also that he was going to wait until he was cleared to play, fully healthy, before deciding whether to hang up hsi skates. There is still that, so no guarantees no matter what.

Go, Pothier, go!! Although, maybe I'm reading into it, but it seems like he's really leaning towards coming back. Hmmmmm, its probably just the mother-hen instinct, but I'm going to worry about him every time he's on the ice if he does start playing again.

OV got around Hamerlik so easy??? There was nothing easy about that play.

Someone fretted that JT might be too jacked about playing his former team, the Avs. Yeah, he looked iffy playing the Habs, esp. the shut-out and his play in the shootout on Wednesday. Shoengans, I bet5 he'll be a brick wall, not a block of swiss cheese

@jmucapsgirl: I think the same - I think he is leaning towards coming back. Hockey's a hard lover to leave. But, no guarantees yet, so I'm not holding my breath either way.

You know, we should pull together and do a girls' hockey night out or something. Maybe find a watering hole for one of the away games coming up or something. How does Saturday night the 28th vs. Boston sound?

As for women's jerseys and being dragged to games. When my then girlfriend now wife were dating, I had to drag her to games. She'd wear one of my old oversized vintage 80's jerseys saying it made her look fat (the logo is like that). Now she loves the excitement of games enough to buy tickets for valentines and likes to sleep in that old jersey. She loves the Caps and hockey. She watched the last game when I worked in an overnight shelter for the homeless and sent me text updates. She watches games even when I'm not home. I am one of the luckiest men in the world.

@JIMALLCAPS: I think there's less baggage with Montreal than with Colorado, though. Part of that also comes from the fact that they're a West-Coast bottom feeder, which we've had a horrible time with this year.

But I think that the team has really rallied around Jose lately, and yes, he was rock-solid in the shootout (that was as epic a curbstomp in the shootout as I've ever seen). They're also known for making it a point to show up when the game is special to the goalie (frex, rookies in their first game). Should be a good tilt tonight.

What Fehr lacks is "Heart." No mentor can help him in that regard. I keep going back to the Calder Cup run at Hershey two years ago. And, I still see Fehr, lying face down on the ice, ALLOWING AN OPPONENT TO REPEATEDLY BASH HIS FACE INTO THE ICE. That's unforgettable. Unforgivable. And, cowardly to say the least.
Eric's fine as long as no one challenges him physically. Then, that's when the yellow streak raises it's ugly head. It happened in the Montreal game, if you'll recall. There was a scrum in Theodore's crease after the whistle. A guy got in Fehr's face, pushing and shoving, and giving him an old fashioned "Face wash." And, what did Eric do? NOTHING! He backed off ------ like always. From that point on, he was a non - factor.
It's really a shame. The guy has a world of ability. Kind of like Victor Kozlov, the NHL's biggest chump. And, while I'm think about it, you DO REALIZE that come playoff time, we'll be playing a man short each and every time Victor is on the ice. The bum has yet to score his FIRST playoff goal. ------ That's all one needs to know in order to asses Kozlov's "Heart" component. Fehr - Kozlov. Sadly, they're eerily similar where it counts the most.

Seriously though, these men are all great players in some resect or another. Calling them bums or other names, without a huge amount of data to back it up (I mean, there ARE a few bums in the NHL) is in my opinion disrespectful.

Again, easy to call them names from the stands.

When I lived in Tampa, I once saw a guy call Vinnie Testaverde a p**s from way off. Vinnie went and stood his 6'5" over this knuklehead that was about 5' nothing and he shut his mouth right quick.

billd2, No, unfortunately, the NHLs "ladies jerseys" don't benefit anybody. If they did, I could maybe get behind them enough to stop bashing them, but since they don't I get to have my opinion of them.

@jmu, kittypawz, et al.: I am so with you! Pink jerseys make me cringe, and the whole idea of "Hockey and Heels" style marketing makes me angry, as if women need some kind of specially-tailored program in order to learn about the game. Truth be told, my problem for years has been finding a guy who's as into hockey and the Caps as I am!

JIMALLCAPS:
My DH is slowly coming around. He still will not admit that he is a hockey fan, but at least he does not have a coronary every time our STH renewals come up. As long as he humors my habit, I'm not complaining.

Greg:
Wouldn't it be better if she actually knew what the heck was happening on the ice?!? If I get one more puck bunny sitting behind me squealing every time her favorite player comes on the ice (blathering about everything but hockey when he is not playing), then she may not make it to the second period. (Oops ... did I say that out loud?)

capsfan26, I'm okay with the Hockey n Heels, actually. However, I may have to start drinking before I go tomorrow so I don't make comments to a few people. And lets face it, I'm really going to listen to Stretch and Coach.

the way that you girls feel when we guys oogle on and on about the Caps Cheerleaders "nice clothes" (call them whatever you want) is how we guys feel when you girls go on about the faces and a$$e$ of the players.

Not really related, but while on the subject of women and hockey, I have to say that although I'm not a big fan of the trend to incorporate cheerleaders into the games, I was amused when I went to see the Caps play in Sunrise last weekend and learned that the Panthers' "Ice Dancers" are sponsored by - can you guess? - a plastic surgeon.

It's kind of pointless to watch hockey if the only reason you're watching is to see hot guys, since they all wear helmets and a lot of them wear face shields, not to mention that their bodies are totally hidden under all the pads.

But, Boo, since you asked... ;) I'm not sure about league-wide, I'd have to think about that some more, but I vote for Steckel as the best-looking Cap.

WhyGo, When can you see their a$$e$? I seem to be looking at them at the wrong time. (I kid!) They all just look like hockey pants to me! And lol about your wife looking up astro signs.
capsfan26, wooooow. Nice one, Florida!

Not really related, but while on the subject of women and hockey, I have to say that although I'm not a big fan of the trend to incorporate cheerleaders into the games, I was amused when I went to see the Caps play in Sunrise last weekend and learned that the Panthers' "Ice Dancers" are sponsored by - can you guess? - a plastic surgeon.

Posted by: capsfan26 | February 20, 2009 1:11 PM

my friend carlynn is a LA kings "ice girl". She loves the job and is a true hockey fan at heart. Hell if I was a girl, I would love a job like that. Not all of them are your stereotypical valley girls who couldn't give two thoughts about hockey.

Hockey is my favorite sport by far. I love the every thing about it;the skating, the hitting, the strategy, the speed, etc. I purchase center ice every year and pretty much watch nothing but hockey from Oct-June, I just love it. That being said, there is nothing wrong with enjoying, along with the aforementioned, NHL eye candy.
Everyone have fun tonight-Go Caps!

I have managed to get my wife to go to a few games, and she's gradually getting more interested (THANK YOU OV!) I remember about 2 years ago I was watching a Finals game on TV and she came into the room saying: "Oh, they're playing for the beer keg, eh?". I never let her hear the end of that :)

The Renegades are still in town?!? I thought they left! They were my first hockey game after my move to the states. My dad called for tickets and the lady said they would be at Will Call, except to my dad's Canadian ear, she said they'd be at the Wilco. We drove around the rink for about 45 minutes looking for the gas station. Good times.

@richmondphil - I have no idea. I know that being an NFL cheerleader is extremely competitive, and I'm guessing it's the same way for NBA dancers, but the trend is pretty new in hockey (and the viewership of NHL games is comparatively lower) so I'm guessing it's probably not considered to be quite as prestigious, at least not yet, so it might be easier to get those positions.

I just hope that the increase in attendance at Caps games and other NHL games is due to the sport catching on in popularity, not because of the introduction of scantily clad women at the games...

In regards to those horrible pink jerseys, it was enough for me to break up with a guy i'd been dating for 3 months. Christmas rolled around and he thought I would look adorable in a pink Green jersey. Two days later I returned it and told him it was over. He obviously didn't know me at all, if he's 1) buying me a pink jersey and 2) thinking that was adorable. Needless to say, I am much happier without the poor chap, especially since he was a Briere fan.

@jmu_capsgirl: My first hockey game ever was the Renegades too! They actually turned into the River Dogs for a bit and then I think last eyar they went back to being the Renegades with different colors and a pirate theme.

@Rhino40: A "puck bunny" is a girl whose primary object is to get a hockey player alone, if you know what I mean. A lot of them are after the money, some are after the glamour, some are just after hot meat.

Sounds like there's a lot of interest in a girls' hockey night out. I'll see if I can work something out and let people know. I'll probably make it some sort of bar/grill and center it around an away game.

The reason the Caps keep losing to the Western Conference, even non-playoff teams is the same reason the rest of the East does: the West is a vastly better and more even conference. The East has some very good teams for sure (Boston, us, NJ), but the West top to bottom is vastly superior to the East.

JMU -
I will be there tomorrow too and I think that it actually is going to be fun. I am not a STH so I don't get to see them in person like many others. this will be a treat for me. DC 101 is doing Chicks and Sticks for the Trashers game.

Being a girl and loving hockey is definitely something that most people don't expect. And while I enjoy Mike Green I really appreciate his hockey more than just his face.

I would be up for a girl's night. I am just a lurker normally here but love the commentary every day. My husband isn't as into hockey but will watch all the games with me. And I agree, pink jerseys just are wrong. I don't even have the ladies regular jersey but a small man's just because that is more authentic to me (though I don't have fight straps).

My brother is a Pens fan and I just have to hold my tongue when I see him at the end of the month. I think he isn't too happy with the cry-baby right now.

@jmu_capsgirl: Thank You. I consider myself educated now. And no, I don't care for pink jerseys either. Better we should come up with a good third sweater (see my earlier posts on this) and banish the pink. Thus (hopefully) sorting the Puckbunnies from the True Fans.

@Mauree
Yes, I do have some insider info but I have to thread carefully because there is a criminal investigation involved.
Let's just say that there is not a single soul in Quebec that can do productive work today.
The Habs have met all their players individually with their agents this morning to see how much they know. The Habs have their Legal Counsel all over this thing and have already told the media owners that if any information leaks out, they will 1) be sued and 2) (even more importantly for a media in the Montreal market) they will be banned from sourcing around the team.
The mafioso who was arrested had, in his possession, financial documents with the Canadiens logo, including the K Brothers pay stubs, their credit card numbers and some other things. He was a well known cocaine courrier, involved in racketeering, white slave trading and proxenetism. This last one is the one that may represent the ultimate bomb....

@Atybat, well that explains why the Canadian press is so worthless on this story (and I thought it was the CRTC's Canadian content regulations). There hasn't been much in the way of updates since this morning. May want to start checking the US sources more, since any law suit from the Habs would be tossed in U.S. coruts and they would have a hard time getting an enforcable ruling out the Canadian courts.

Proxenetism is not pimping by women....it means making a living out of selling others for sex.
Prostitution is tolerated in Montreal but pimping is a criminal act. Now, imagine if this guy pimps girls to the K brothers and uses their own credit cards to pay himself...are you following me... if I am a mafioso who is trying to launder money of other illegal activities, how about using two twenty something millionnaires, naives and stupid, provide them with booze and girls and Lord knows what then use their credit cards and accounts.... Now let's say I go to them and say, "you know Bro, I like you and all but that is a lot of info I have on you but we are chummy....right, I have this Buddy of mine who is from Boston and he loves the Bruis...he has put a lot of money down and them for tomorrow's game and it would really be bad if he loses his money..."
Still following....

Anyways, this is big...will it all come out? Not sure...Montreal is an interesting place where the Police and the Canadiens constantly collaborate in the law of Omerta.

I really get aggravated at posters ranting about our players. Semin is a great young hockey player. 1.28 pts./game is outstanding. +27 is outstanding. People get entirely focused on the weak parts of this young guys game without recognizing his incredible strengths. How many points would we have earned without him early in the season when Backstrom and Ovechkin were slumping, if not for Sasha? And this venom is reserved for only a few players. For example, people do not give Backstrom the same grief about his lack of ability to win faceoffs, which has significantly negatively impacted his value to the team. What gives?

outrbnksm, Delly is more a Matt Bradley kind of player. I don't think we've got another heavyweight coming up, but I could be wrong. Alzner might be able to fight, but I don't think he would. The kid's got ice in his veins. I'd hate to see the beatdown whoever ticked him off got.

@CaliCapsFan - I can only speak for myself, but part of the reason that Sasha's penchant for taking stupid penalties frustrates me so much is precisely *because* he's so talented and such a valuable asset to the team. I'd prefer to see that asset on the ice, not sitting in the penalty box.

You're right about Backstrom's faceoff woes, but that's simply a skill that he needs to work on, whereas the dumb penalties are often the result of laziness or poor judgment, and that bothers me a lot more.

That's a great point about Montreal, the Habs and the look the other way attitude of any transgressions of its players. The Habs are the city, and if they are winning, the city is happy. The city will overlook a LOT if they win.

But, if the league gets involved, they will have to do something about this. The FBI takes a very dim view of sports betting by athletes and if they don't get their ducks in a row, they could find themselves returning from their next U.S. road trip with a few of the players not with them if you know what I mean...

I also would be interested in a ladies watching party.
Would love to meet you tomorrow..look for the red #23 jersey. Yes not only am I a hockey fan (or geek as my friends say) but I also appreciate that beak too! Not a bad thing, but the hockey is what gets me first, our good looking guys are just gravy.
See you tomorrow

I think Della was sent ot the OHL to finish up there on a positive. There's limited room at the AHL for him, so it was bettter for him to go there. I do believe that there are definate plans to bring him to DC in a few years.

juicefan,
lol *inserts foot in mouth* Sorry! I just had a bad experience with a couple of girls in, well, mini skirts and hooker boots, screaming at him the entire game as if he could hear them or was paying attention. I'm sure you're nothing like that. :-D

I completely get what you are saying. I just think he has developed an unjustified bad rap. He has improved a lot in the last year, and I think that trajectory will continue as long as he is on the ice a lot. All Capos fans hope he stays healthy and out of the penalty box!

Very true. The french canadian blogs and radio stations are buzzing right now with fans crying wolves against the medias saying that this is no big deal, that Carbonneau's poor coaching skills is a worse crime... Of course, they don't know the whole extend of this yet.
Betting against the Canadiens will/would be quite a tipping point. Remember that there is a professor that teaches theology at Universite de Montreal and his subject is The Montreal Canadiens and how they are knitted in the spiritual culture in Quebec...

Incidentally, Bob Gainey just finished his press conference and has admitted that some of the players ha dcommitted bad behaviors, he was vague about criminal activities saying that he had no info...

I'm not taling about our 24th in the league ranking on the kill overall, I'm talking about the right kill at the right time. Being 6th in the league in total penalties means that you will not be ranked high in total kilss (too many good PP units out there), but the Caps PK is GOOD nonetheless. (very good I think)

@CaliCapsFan - believe me, I've had a Semin jersey for three years now, I think he's the most naturally gifted player we've got (not the "best" player - that's undeniably Ovie, and I love him too, don't get me wrong!), and I think he's an integral part of this team. But there's still room for improvement, especially in this regard. As long as being more disciplined doesn't interfere with his ability to do what he does well, then I think it'll only make him - and thus the team - even better.

Michael Jordan was not really a DC sports guy. I am too young to have witnessed Sammy Baugh, but his stats are pretty amazing in the context of the era he played in. Did the Senators have any truly great players? Sean and LaVar were really exciting players, but not amongst the best to play their positions and not league MVP candidates. I think you could make a very strong case for OV already having the best season ever for a left wing and he will probably win more than a few Harts before all is said and done.

It is amazing to me to think that in just a few years, Ovie has established himself as the best ever for a city with a pretty solid pro sports tradition. He is just amazing. I think we are really lucky to be Caps fans and be able to root for such an incredible hockey player.

I think all of the Caps have improved since last year. Semin in particular defensively. But he still takes dumb penalties. I'm hoping that the team's penal system attached to the kangaroo court they have will straighten him out.

By the way, if any of the ladies here happen to win the DC 101 Chicks and Sticks thing, I would give just about anything to be your guest. Seriously. I have a certain box of cereal that *needs* to be signed by Mr. Fedorov, and I've had it since I was 15. If I don't get it signed eventually, I will consider my entire life a failure.

Semin is NOT mature beyond his hockey years the way OV and Backs are. I just hate seeing him saddled with a rep he does not really deserve. I think he plays with great passion, as evidenced by his bongo drumming of Staal, and clearly great skill. More defensive discipline and acumen will come as his game matures. He is still a pup. I wish I had a Semin jersey.

To add to the comments from the ladies on this blog, I hate the pink jerseys. I am not fond of the bedazzled jerseys either (yes I have seen them). Prefer to wear real jerseys vs. wearing my daughter's.

Oh, and my daughter has decided that it should be a offense worth fining if someone acts like a dork in public wearing an Ovechkin jersey.

If you went to the game 2 nighs ago you missed the intermission program on TV. Ovie was messing around with a kid at the Children's Medical Center on a Wii. Semin was standing next to him. Ovie was boxing, and then he did the bongo thing and smiled at Semin. Semin absolutely cracked up. It was hysterical.

The penal system is great. BB is pretty darn creative as a coach. I love the locker room rapport this team seems to have. I think he really has fostered that, which is pretty hard to do as a coach. The player whose penalties annoy me the most is definitely ShaMo. He has a real knack for taking penalties on the PK. That will really kill us in the playoffs.

@_stevo
thanks. I don't know jack about the Senators (and not much about baseball in general). Would either of those guys be in the same league as OV? I know it is hard to say because he is still in the dawn of his career.

@CaliCapsFan - you just had to go and bring up the bongo drums, didn't you? Just when I'd finally gotten over the shame...

As far as I can tell, the reputation Semin has developed is that of a very talented hockey player who's been taking too many dumb penalties this season. He's not the only one on the team who's taken dumb penalties, but he's taken more than his fair share. It's an aspect of his game he needs to work on. But nobody who's seen him play - Caps fans or otherwise - denies that he's unbelievably skilled, and I'm sure any team in the league would give a lot to get him, dumb penalties and all.

And to tie this in with the earlier discussions of attractive players, given that Semin bears an eerie resemblance to Jon Bon Jovi, he definitely scores high marks in that regard. :)

I would love to do something for an away game. Especially if there are other beer snob female hockey fans involved.

I still go to a bunch of games with my ex who is a Pens fan (ew!) and I drag my bf to games now and he's pretty into it, lucky for me. And red jersey, definitely red jersey, my only wish is that the mens came in an XS. My small is still pretty huge.

I just looked Walter Johnson up on Wikipedia. If Ty Cobb called him "the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ball park" he must have been a terror on the mound. Hmmm. Maybe OV will have to wait a few years before a Montgomery County high school is named after him.

Is OV the best athlete in DC pro sports history? If not, who was better? Michael Jordan for the Wiz? Sammy Baugh for the Skins? Sugar Ray Leonard?

Posted by: CaliCapsFan | February 20, 2009 2:54 PM

To some of the posters on this blog he might be. But why compare athletes? You never have the same set of comparison points to base it on.

Anyway, OV is a great hockey player much better than Sammy or Ray would have been. Sammy was one of the greatest football players there ever was, much better than OV and Ray. Ray's record as boxer speaks for itself, he was a great boxer much better than OV and Sammy.
Jordan? He was an overpaid has-been and a total failure in Washington D.C.

traffic on a Friday is murder. I leave Leesburg for a trip that can take 50 minutes on a Sunday morning (fastest) at about 4pm to get to the Booth by 6pm in time to eat a bite. Two hours of traffic, no doubt.

You can adjust the pricing range if you want (I would) If you click the "compare now" you'll see 4 pretty good name hotels at a good price. But there's also another 94 properties out there I didn't even begin to look at.

Definitely Bon Jovi. I noticed it right away and I've heard others point out the resemblance too. I don't think Mick Jagger was ever good-looking even when young, but I think Sasha is a cutie. Not sure about the guy from Clockwork Orange though. Maybe he looks like Bon Jovi too? Hmm...

Comparing athletes not only has been done for as long as history, Achilles vs Hector for example, lets not debate who would've been the best boxer of QB or hockey player, but who was the biggest impact player/personalty to effect the sport and the area.

The Washington DC area hasn't been blessed with top notch marquee names in sports that have transcended this region or the game in which they participated.

When it boils down to it, Ovi is already effecting hockey and of course DC in 4th season.

JSchon
"In my lifetime, no one has made such a impact locally than Ovi"

With that statement you make my point. "In your lifetime" he might be "to you". So, if you have not seen all of the athletes, nor lived in their life time of prominence, how can you compare if not for other reason than to argue. Now, I don't know how many of the four athletes you have seen and can honestly say that you can evaluate their impact on the town. I can say I have seen three of them while old enough to see the impact they brought to the city. Jordan was a failure in washington, Ray had the city buzzing when he was at his prime, and of course, OV is the rage now. From what I read about Sammy, well he was an introvert but one of the best in the game, I have no idea how the town received him, so it would be unfair for me to judge him other than for his abilities.
Can you compare them? Yes. if you like to argue.

Darrel Green is awesome. His autograph is one of my most treasured pieces of DC memorabilia. He is also an extremely good guy and played a very long career at a very high level. However, he was never the defensive player at any point in his career. He was not even the best cornerback in the league for almost all of his career. I really really hate to say this but that jackass neon Deion Sanders was better even if his career was a lot briefer.

I would admit that I am not the authority to determine anything other than my opinion, sometimes I question that. What I am not doing is comparing how Ovi would look in silk shorts hopping around in a ring sticking and moving like you suggest. I am in my late 30's and I have been here for Gibbs 1.0, Green and Jordan.

Green, while beloved in the area, was never mentioned as the "Best" player in football. Gibbs had more than equals in Parcells and Walsh.

Boo:
i'm sorry, i just meant for today. WhyGo is really only in second - a distant second - can you forgive me?
p.s. - don't send Mr Boo to come and break my fingers - being able to type is my livelyhood ☺

also - maybe the female hockey fans here could add this to their posts: ♀
that way me and WhyGo might not get ourselves in to much trouble

CaliCapsFan:
i took your original question of athlete literally. the most popular player would have everything to do with the era in which you follow any given team. for impact to a given sport - with hockeys 'lockout' year - i would say it is OV for the DC area. his presence/style have created a whole new interest in the region. due to the lack of caps coverage from WP and others you might get hundreds of different answers. most popular or fan favorite (Art Monk) would take this in a whole different direction.

Re: Ladies Watching Party -- I would love to be there. None of my friends know hockey-speak!

Re: Semin -- I think his reputation is now causing him to be called for penalties that often get overlooked for other players, so he's stuck in this cycle. It's hard for anyone to play 60 minutes of "clean" hockey. It's just a matter of who the refs are watching and what they decide to call.

Re: Pink jerseys -- Should be outlawed. My only jersey is an authentic autographed #28 (in Sasha's size, not mine).

Hey I'm a JMU grad too! See you all tomorrow. I will have my Greener shirt on. I hope that there is someone good there (not Schultz) and that they don't trade that person. But if it meant that Schultz was traded (and maybe Nyls too) I would take that.

I found the video clip on the Children's Medical Center visit, but alas they edited out the fun bit with AO and Semin. It may show up on YouTube. It was a really nice piece with the guys playing games with the kids and basically making them forget about what they're going through even if only for a few moments.

Kirk:
Not sure exactly what metric I was looking for w.r.t. greatest DC athlete. But by any measure, OV may capture that ill-defined title. It is just fun to put him in the context of other greats from the area. It really is amazing to me what he has accomplished on the ice and the buzz he generates. Caps hockey has just exploded in a way that I never thought was possible. Even in the cup run, there was not the buzz that exists now. Obviously DC is hungrier now for sports excellence, but the real difference is OV, not taking anything away from Bonzai or 'Zilla.

As another female hockey fan and grandmother of a girl hockey player, I want to ask about the girls night some of you are talking about. Did I miss something? Is there one organized somewhere?

And a random thought about Semin. There is something about this guy that makes me think he will never reach his full potential. He is accident and illness prone; takes too many penalties; can be inconsistent....and so on. Ovechkin is the opposite: emotionally (and not by coincidence) physically healthy and stable like a rock. I still think the Semin is a great asset all in all, but he is so inconsistent he does not build on his successes.

Theo has really hit his stride after a shaky start. I hope he can be proud of his game tonight and have the satisfaction to rub the Avs face in his success. Hope nothing embarrassing happens to him the way it did with Kolzig, when he lost badly on his first game against the Caps.

caraveli:
those are valid observations of Semin. keep in mind that most north american players get to mature in the AHL for a season or so. Semin never really had a chance to get accustomed to the NA style and i think he'll only get better as time goes on. he does seem kind of fragile (except for his bongo playing) - but i wouldn't want to watch him play against the caps

JSchonk
"What I am not doing is comparing how Ovi would look in silk shorts hopping around in a ring sticking and moving like you suggest. "
English is my second language, and I probably didn't phrase my post very well. My comparison statement were made as my opinion only to demonstrate how silly in it is to compare athletes, specially if they play different sports. I do not like to compare athletes, I think it is unfair as they all play under different circumstances - even when they play the same sport. I think we are in agreement to that point.

As for which athlete has had the biggest impact in the area? Well, in my opinion, that is unfair too. Today we have the internet exposing the players to vast number of fans, something the older players didn't have. How many of us follow hockey and know about the great hockey players because the internet has brought them into our world? If a person in this area were not to use the internet that person would know very little about the Caps and about OV. I would go and bet that someone like that would nominate Clinton Portis, Riggo or a Darrell Green as the best in the city; all you have to do is listen to sports radio and read the Washington Post paper to see how much coverage OV and the Caps get. It is the internet that has made them well known in this area.
Then there is the way they market him, etc, etc.
I suppose you could select the one that has had the most impact in the city, but you would have to have an asterisk next to his name explaining the set of circumstances surrounding that athlete during his period of fame, that is, if you want to use that as a comparison.

Another reason to want Semin here as long as possible, aside from his talent: he and Ovie are very close off the ice, and anything that keeps Ovie happy generally, and happy to be in DC specifically, is valuable to this team.

@hock1.....I actually wrote to the Post editors on this subject last spring and they ran the letter in the dead tree section and mentioned Mosley and few other MVP seasons. The only people that are close to OV being the best player in Washington DC sports history are Baugh and most are forgeting Walter Johnson.

RichC3
They are some great players on their own right. I am sure we are forgetting some others.
Right now I am just enjoying the play of OV and all the Caps and I don't feel the need to compare them to anyone else. In my mind it does not prove anything.

when you watch it closely, you really see how he was totally in control of an out-of-control situation. He has his eye on the puck all the way and made very subtle moves with his hand, wrist maybe even finger tips that guided the puck home, top that off with the mad rush when he first stepped on the ice (he went after the puck like he was on fire) and then put the cherry on top of making that sick move around a great defender and that is why IS WAS AND WILL BE MVP!!!

To the people that think that Schultz is good... could you please pay attention for when he's challenged on the boards? He always loses the puck :(

Posted by: mauree | February 20, 2009 7:15 PM

If he had a tail it would be tucked far between his legs :)

Safe to say most of our players decided not to show up tonight. This team relies too heavily on its talent and not enough mucking in the corners. The Avs were more committed to winning tonight, the Caps only showed up in the last few minutes like they usually do when they're on the losing end of a game